Jobless man smashed car window because he was 'drunk and stupid'

A jobless Ammanford 21-year-old has told magistrates that he smashed the rear windscreen of a car parked on a garage forecourt because he “was drunk and stupid”.

William Nicholas Evans, of 26 Heol Haydn, appeared at Llanelli court to plead guilty to a charge of causing criminal damage to the vehicle.

Ellie Morgan, prosecuting, described how CCTV footage showed Evans punching the rear windscreen of a Ford Fiesta, which was on display at Dave Jones Car Sales on the corner of College Street and Station Road, at 1am on December 8.

After smashing the window, Evans walked away.

Ms Morgan told the court how police officers viewed the footage next day and immediately recognised Evans.

When he was arrested, he told the officers: “I’m sorry. I walked up to the car and punched it.

“I was drunk and stupid.”

Andrew Isaacs, defending, told the court that Evans was “extremely apologetic for what he had done”.

He said that Evans had already spoken with the owner and agreed to pay the costs of repairs, but “nothing has been set in stone”.

Magistrates were also told that at the time of the incident Evans was subject to a 12-month conditional discharge – imposed on January 31, 2012, following an offence of drug possession.

Evans was fined £75 for an offence of criminal damage and ordered to pay £85 court costs and an additional legal surcharge of £20.

He was also order to pay £150 compensation to the business.

Magistrates told him they had decided against activating the conditional discharge and resentencing him for the drugs offence, instead leaving him to “walk a tightrope” until completion of the order.